In 2016, he was inducted into the Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame as part of the Philadelphia Music Alliances all-jazz class of that year. I try to ameliorate that and take the rough edges off if I can, with the music. The late teen years. The world is a lot different than it used to be.. Some of the management of that station listened to me on WGPR and they liked what they heard, he said. King agrees. For the last 25 years, hes become known for his warm, personable on-air style, extensive knowledge of jazz, and thoughtful, wide-ranging music mix. But dont fret, you can still lend him your finely tuned ears every Sunday from 9 AM to 1 PM for Sunday Jazz Brunch on WRTI 90.1. BP: Yes, it really did. Perkins spoke about the evolution of radio. (Photo by WRTI). He went on to work for WDAS and while in Philadelphia, [2] in 1997, he joined WRTI-FM Temple University Radio. [citation needed]. Perkins is the PM drive time jazz radio personality and host for WRTI-FM Temple University Radio in Philadelphia. He made his own antennas and we could sit and listen to Chicago, Detroit. I got a job working at a Black-owned insurance company, Great Lakes Mutual, in Detroit. My mom would let me stay up on the weekends and sometimes we would pick up stations in other states. Especially jazz music. I stayed there for about a year and a half, but I was hungry to do news in radio, so I needed to move on. Every Saturday, I was there.. Mr. Perkins in 2006. A Philadelphia man has become an institution by keeping the sounds of Philly and American Jazz alive for decades. I had WDAS and WHYY, doing all of those things simultaneously for about 10 years. He continued to grow, working as newsman and assistant director at WJLB-AM in Detroit, before his career path returned him to Philadelphia, where in 1969 he joined WDAS-AM/FM as a newsman and after two years became News Director there;[5] after another year he also became the Editorial Director. After breaking in as a DJ and announcer at WGPR-FM, he then expanded to news at WCHB-AM while also working as jazz program director for its twin, WCHD-FM. I was out for almost four months. I try not to ad-lib and talk about what is going on. Jazz radio legend Bob Perkins, 88, will retire in June from his full-time role as a host at Philadelphia's WRTI-FM. Experience Board Chair Orennia 2021 - Present 2 years. People know what is going on. I did a good music program over there for twenty years. TN: Why was it important for you to keep doing your show? You can never know. A survey of the playlist from one of his last shows before his stroke is a ramble through classic jazz interpretations of American Songbook standards. We have a father right now and that's Bob Perkins.. I remember saying, I dont know how to write editorials. LeBaron Taylor said [to me], You take the job and if you mess up, well get somebody else. I did that for 13 years pretty good. How is someone out there feeling? Perkins will continue to host his Sunday show from 9am to 1pm. READ MORE: Two Philly jazz masters celebrate their birthdays (and their best-friendship), Perkins had suffered a stroke. WRTI's legendary jazz host, Bob Perkins, is surrounded by his cd collection of jazz recordings in his home in Wyncote, PA on December 19, 2019. The 88 year old Perkins has been on the air in Philadelphia since 1969 with stints as News Director at WDAS-FM and a Jazz host at WHYY before joining WRTI in 1997. Scroll down to see recent playlists. announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April, California residents do not sell my data request. In mid-December, as he planned his return to the airwaves, Perkins was worried that some physical effects of his stroke a few fingers that werent obliging might compromise his technical performance in the control booth. BP's last WRTI weeknight shift is on Thursday, June 30th from 6 to 9 PM. The mix of music was an image of the man who chose it: smart and warm and nostalgic, displaying impeccable taste and a steady, low-key, and almost offhand hipness. This was in the mid-1920s., My father was kind of a genius in handling his radio, Perkins continued. The world wasnt moving quite as fast. A mainstay of the jazz music and radio community, Perkins has been on-air at WRTI since 1997. Beginning in June, he will end the weekday program and continue with the Sunday broadcast on90.1 FM. Mr. Perkins owns 88,692 shares of Targa Resources stock worth more than $6,747,687 as of February 16th. Am I going to capture their imagination today? I knew that people kind of liked my music. It takes a little bit of thought. I said yes, he said. After a longtime gig at WHYY, he joined WRTI in 1997. Bob Perkins on Trumpeter Red Rodney, an Overlooked Philly Great! He wasn't doing well at, Classical Events Calendar Submission Form. July 1, 2022. Longtime jazz radio host Bob Perkins will retire from full-time hosting on WRTI-FM/Philadelphia in June, the public radio station of Temple University in Philadelphia announced Tuesday. "I look forward to the opportunity to pick up the mic at WRTI on Sundays to continue to serve all the listeners with finely-tuned ears who have said that I've helped keep jazz music alive in Philadelphia, and beyond.. They had hired me for all the wrong reasons in the first place. I stayed over there about two years, but it really wasnt a good fit. Bob says that it was Joe who first introduced him to jazz. He had his own antennae that he had drilled into his table model radio. His distinctive deep voice and progressive points of view became an on-air signature for the fast-growing FM and AM operations at WDAS over 19 years during the 1970's and '80's. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. In 2016, he was awarded a bronze plaque on Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame on the Avenue of the Arts. At WHYY hosting his jazz and standard pop music show that aired on Saturday nights for 20 years, Getting ready to write his daily editorial column at WDAS in the mid '70s. Later, in the mid-80s, Perkins hosted a WDAS-AM jazz show that mixed in Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee with jazz artists like Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Lovingly known as "BP with the GM" (Bob Perkins with the Good Music), BP brings you that good music just in time for dinner during your work week. He is a jazz program host and DJ for WRTI. Its almost like were trying to do too much. That petered out, but I was still at WHYY playing jazz music and loving it. BP: No, I just put out the music. PublishedDecember 6, 2013 at 5:49 AM EST. Electronics and technology are magnificent. Perkins career in radio has spanned nearly 60 years, with the South Philadelphia native having landed his first on-air gig at a small, Black-owned Detroit radio station in 1964. He has earned well over forty different honors and awards from major government, artistic, journalistic and community organizations. Radio started I think, in 1920 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Managing Editor Teresa A. Emerson - [emailprotected] But theres something about music. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of the music and the musicians, and has known many of the greats. They just let me have my own way and they seem to like what I play. Classical 6am-6pm, and Jazz 6pm-6am. Growing up in a two-bedroom rowhouse near 19th and Reed in South Philly during World War II, Bob Perkins received intimate and powerful instruction on the healing properties of radio. NPR news updates every hour. Bob Perkins: I do itand Im not trying to be funnybut I do it really by braille, a feel. News was almost like a religion back in the day. This net worth approximation does not reflect any other investments that Mr. Perkins may own. They can take you away. He later joined WHYY with a weekend jazz show before landing at WRTI. Looking back over his broadcast career, Perkins said he had dual passions one for anchoring the news, the other for playing jazz greats on the radio. "[4] He is also an accomplished radio news journalist and a First Call Master of Ceremonies for regional jazz music events. Maybe its one of the high points in their life. Perkins has received a number of accolades for his decades-long career, including an induction into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2003. He currently hosts from 6-9pm Monday through Thursday, and from . The 88 year old Perkins has been on the air in Philadelphia since 1969 with stints as News Director at WDAS-FM and a Jazz host at WHYY before joining WRTI in 1997. Do you have any anecdotes about BP you'd like to share? His show will come to an end June 30, but he says this wont be the last his fans hear from him. He is one of the few DJs at WRTI, or any radio station in existence nowadays, allowed such a luxury. WRTI, this 600th review is for you! Thats our savior, man.. I leaned on them when I got into radio until I got my own sea legs and could navigate on my own.. BP with Dave Brubeck in 1983 - backstage at the Academy of Music. Friday evenings at 10 PM, veteran WRTI jazz host J. Michael Harrison presents The Bridge, exploring the merging platforms of popular music and jazz. I think because of them, thats where my love of jazz music was solidified.. Someone can think of something and express it in a musical form and without hitting any sour notes and make it sound melodic, where you can tap your foot or you can close your eyes and dream on it. Mr. Bob Perkins ("BP with the GM") WRTI jazz host extraordinaire turns 80 years old today. Temple Now:The official source for Temple news.Copyright 2015, Temple University. But I had some qualifications, too, because my dad got into radio back in the 1920s, when radio was in its infancy. WRTI. I think it would be silly to have me programming for a jazz historian.. 1. Lance Venta is Owner and Publisher of RadioInsight.com. In addition to his job as jazz host, BP writes numerous columns and commentaries on jazz for local publications in Philadelphia. Thats the magic part about this thing called music. William Johnson, General Manager of WRTI said, Bobs contributions to jazz are innumerable. I next made a move over to WRTI, which is Temple Universitys radio station, as a volunteer DJ playing jazz music. Sunday Jazz Brunch with Bob Perkins airs from 9 AM until 1 PM. Ive been in radio for quite some time. Partner Tupper Lake Partners 2021 - Present 2 years. I think in some way, Bob is able to bridge that gap, King said. His Sunday 'Jazz Brunch' show will continue. Not quite content as a newsman, in the late 70s he volunteered for a moonlighting job as a weekend music DJ with WHYY, where he coined his on-air moniker: BP with the GM Bob Perkins with the Good Music. Contact. Beginning in June, he will end the weekday program and continue with the Sunday broadcast on, Fans mourn death of legendary Philly radio host Sid Mark, Questlove, The Balvenie award first scholarship for PhD in Creativity at University of the Arts, Philadelphia Film Society to host series of family-friendly movie screenings, Eagles name Alex Tanney QB coach, plus other coaching staff updates, The food you eat impacts the health of your eyes, Construction of Penn's Landing park over I-95 finally approved to begin, PennDOT says, Joanna McClinton becomes first woman elected as speaker of Pa. House, Rocco's Italian Sausage, a cult favorite at Home Depot stores in Philly, to expand in Bucks County, Low-calorie sweetener tied to higher risk of heart attack and stroke, study finds. Each Friday at 6 PM, there's Nouveau Jazz . The great alto saxophonist and jazz icon Charlie "Yardbird" Parker was only 34 years old when he died in 1955. Learn More about Joe Bob Perkins' net worth. Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. It was typically BP in tone. I got on the payroll, and Ive been there, ever since. Perkins was also one of Pennsylvania's favorite night-time jazz listeners, in the Philadelphia area. Ive got high mileage on my odometer, Perkins wrote. You can make 20 times as much working down here. But I told him, I want the job in radio. That was my start in radio back in November of 1964.. He fell ill around 1940 with rheumatoid arthritis, and was forced to leave his job as an elevator operator. ), I remember telling my friends about it, McKenna adds. In 1988, big changes came to WDAS, and I was amongst the first of the old group of employees to be let go, he continued. Mr. Bob Perkins, WRTI's own "BP with the GM," is retiring from full-time broadcasting after 25 years at the station and 57 on the air. Thats a long time. BP was awarded the 2002 Mellon Jazz Community Award. But it seems like the longer I stayed out, [chuckles] the more positive response I got. One day in late summer last year, his familiar and congenial voice the aural equivalent of a cup of hot chocolate and a soft blanket went silent. Bob in the mid '60s - a seasoned veteran on the job for one year at WGPR in Detroit. This job and that job until I really found my niche in radio and I just happened to walk into a radio station one day and they happened to need someone. Perkins sat and listened and learned his lessons and developed a calling. Pianist Orrin Evans believes BP is vital to Philadelphias jazz scene. Which is a hard thing to do. Maybe were getting back to that today. But I mimicked what I thought the great guys Id grown up with would do, and I got away with it for years., READ MORE: Talking all that jazz with WRTI legend Bob Perkins. Information about his on-air schedule may be found at WRTI's website. 1054. He is known as "BP with the GM," short for Bob Perkins with the Good Music. Jazz host Bob Perkins in his office at WRTI. Black Music Month means heritage, he said. Ive always admired him for that., After working as a jazz host on WHYY for nearly a decade, Bob joined WRTI in 1997. We listened sometimes to WGN in Chicago that was like 650 miles away. For younger listeners who might not be as familiar with jazz and are exploring the genre, BPs show is an introductory primer: Jazz 101. It's kind of an honor when you are played on his program., For Lovett Hines, Artistic Director and Founder of the Music Education Program of the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, BP represents a sense of history. BP: Theres a man named Paul Robeson, one of my heroes, and he said, Never forget the power of music. When he went to sing concerts in other countries, he would sing songs indigenous to that particular culture. Remember, I came up as a war baby. Bob Perkins said of his retirement, After 57 years in media, 25 of those years spent at WRTI, I am now into my 88th year, so this is a good time to retire from full-time hosting at the station, and reflect on where Ive been, with whom Ive talked and what I have learned over the decades as a news man, editorial writer and jazz music host, and see where that leads me. WRTI has not yet put a new DJ in Perkins usual weeknight spot, which will temporarily be filled by station associate general manager Josh Jackson, KYW Newsradio reported. His stories are not secondhand.. Jazz radio legend Bob Perkins, 88, will retire in June from his full-time role as a host at Philadelphia's WRTI-FM. Mr. Bob Perkins, WRTIs own BP with the GM," is retiring from full-time broadcasting after 25 years at the station and 57 on the air. A few Philadelphia artists were sprinkled into the evening, including Perkins longtime friend, saxophonist Bootsie Barnes, and vocalist Phyllis Chapell, who dedicated her latest album to BP. Perkins is currently engaged for the annual Cape May Jazz Festival Concert Series and the Tony Williams Jazz Festival Concert Series. I looked around, and I found a station that wanted a newsman. Mr. Perkins is stepping away from his shows on weekday evenings, but WRTI listeners will still be able to join him for Sunday Jazz Brunch, from 9 AM to 1 PM. Bob Perkins, WRTI DJ has been spinning music in Philadelphia since 1969. The station, run by Temple University, plays classical music during the day and transforms in the evenings into one the countrys premier jazz music broadcasters. June is observed nationally as Black Music Month, and so it seems fitting that someone who has worked in radio for almost six decades the last 20+ years playing jazz music would close out their career in June. [1] His radio career began in 1964 in Detroit, Michigan. BP with jazz pianist McCoy Tyner at WRTI in 2015. Liked by Joe Bob Perkins. I was weaned on radio. He announced his retirement from weeknight shows in April. When Bob Perkins was growing up at 19th and Gerritt Streets in South Philadelphia during the Great Depression, his father, Deforrest, was stricken by arthritis at age 39 and could no longer work at his job as a freight elevator operator. In 1969, WDAS offered him a news and editorial position and asked if he might be interested in moving back to Philadelphia. I was out for about four months. Bob Perkins has been a fixture on Philadelphias airwaves for 50 years. Music has brought us through some very challenging times.. Perkins, known to listeners as "BP . Maybe its one of the high points in their life, Perkins told The Inquirer in 2020. His knowledge of jazz programming was instrumental to a significant increase in weekday Jazz listener-ship and a doubling of the Sunday Jazz audience for his time slot. Perkins had a five-year relationship with The Philadelphia Tribune, where he wrote commentary on government, society and public affairs. How does it connect with them in a way other things dont? I met saxophonist Sam Reed well before he became a legendary figure on the Philadelphia jazz scene. And whats he talking about doing after that? Please remove or replace such wording and instead of making proclamations about a subject's importance, use facts and attribution to demonstrate that importance. He's introduced thousands, if not millions, of listeners to this music over the course of his career, delighted young and old with his signature sound, and been a tireless advocate for jazz appreciation and education," said WRTI general manager William Johnson. I wrote for Hugo Warren for 20 years. The mission of WRTI public radio is to broadcast the very best classical music and jazz recordings, and produce innovative, entertaining, and informative content that enriches the daily lives of our audience and the cultural life of Philadelphia and the tri-state region. Perkins, known to listeners as BP with the GM (Bob Perkins with the Good Music), will now work a reduced on-air schedule, helming a single weekly show Sunday Jazz Brunch on Sunday mornings. [8] Philadelphia honored him in 2017 when he was inducted in Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame.[9]. Temple Now: How do you choose the music that you play? Perkins's CEO profile on Targa Resources's website states that he has both an engineering and a business background when it comes to his education. He has attended two White House Presidential news conferences - one of Gerald Ford's and one of Jimmy Carter's. All rights reserved. You dont know whos listening, how many people: could be one, could be 10,000. BP talks about Charlie Parker back in 2020 with WRTI's Susan Lewis: His presence is felt throughout the city. Visit our, Bob Perkins Retires From Fulltime Role At WRTI, Classic Country Makes The Grade In San Luis Obispo, First Listen: Spotify DJ, YouTube Radio Builder, Brooke Grimsley Joins 101 ESPNs Opening Drive, WRNQ Debuts Marino in the Morning with Marissa, Canadian Programming Vets Launch RMR Media Strategies. Bob Perkins, age 8. Who knows what lies behind that smile? ", BP going one on one with the audience shows a very strong kinship, said Craig, himself a 40-year veteran of local radio. The Philadelphia Sunday SUN - P.O. He was the youngest child and when his mother became ill, he felt responsible to stay and care for her. I was a war baby. I guess I couldnt help but love radio, because from the time I was a little boy, radio was very much a part of my day every day growing up in South Philadelphia.. Bob Perkins reflects on his memories of Philadelphian tenor saxophonist Sam Reed, who passed away earlier this month.. But I mimicked what I thought the great guys Id grown up with would do, and I got away with it for years.. If theres any good thing about thisand theres very little good about itits the fact that maybe families are getting together again and eating at the dinner table again, in the kitchen or living room, and doing things together again. He has been with the station since 1997. After establishing himself on Detroit radio in news and jazz, Perkins returned to Philly in 1969 and became WDAS-FM's news/editorial director while hosting a jazz show at WHYY-FM. But the idea stayed in the back of my mind., To work in radio, I was told Id have to go work in the boonies (the boondocks) and get the mistakes out, Perkins continued. His older brother had introduced him to the music of Duke Ellington, which sparked a lifelong love of big band and jazz music. I went to a radio school through my father. Jazz radio host and South Philadelphia native Bob Perkins, a mainstay on Temple University's public WRTI-FM station, plans to significantly scale back his hours this summer. Jazz also captivated Perkins at a young age. For nearly six decades, Philadelphia has been a unique voice in jazz music. His selections are like a familiar hug from Jazz Land featuring your favorite standards and vocalists such as Sarah, Ella, and Nat, some Big Band legends including the Duke and the Count . I always felt like they hired me because they wanted to get back at WDAS. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. I think what separates him from some of the other programming is that Bob is tried and true, said vocalist Denise King. He makes it interesting and inclusive for everybody.. Change has come to radio, music, listeners, and listening habits. Box 18869, Philadelphia, PA 19119 - Phone (215) 848-7864 - Fax (215) 848-7893 I dont know why music is so much more powerful than some other entity. You should hear this guy.. I did what I could, he said, because I didnt know a thing about writing editorials. That when I first became aware of who he was, said Larry McKenna, the tenor saxophonist who is one of the deans of Phillys jazz scene. This website uses cookies. Perkins has been ill and off the air for a few months but will make his return in the first week of January. What Bob does, it makes people feel like youre coming home, she said. I knew the Athletics batting averages like they were my own name. Bob Perkins at home at WRTI-FM studios. Thanks! In 1969, his hometown of Philadelphia beckoned him back with a gig at rhythm-and-blues station WDAS, where he worked for the next 19 years. We all need that role model, that patriarch to keep it going. Hes speaking their language especially people who have been listening for years and years.. Im just playing music. Previously, Bob was a Board Member at Jazz Bridge and also held positions at Data Site, Unisys, WDAS Fm. I'm a general assignment breaking news reporter. They were doing quite well, raising their families, Perkins said. BP broke into the radio business in 1964 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit. He was known for his laid-back and mellow style. Its not the same. You know, its magic that Ive been around that long and people have that much confidence in me. You can touch a button and get any answer to any question that you have. As of 1997, Perkins landed at WRTI-FM. Bob is jazz radio, David Conant, former general manager at WRTI, told The Inquirer in 2016. Fivedays a week, on WRTI, BP with the GM (thats Bob Perkins with the Good Music), plays jazz with a connoisseurs ear and an infectious sense of joy. He throws in a four-hour show on Sunday mornings for good measure. His salvation was radio, Perkins said. At 90.1 FM. Bob's contributions to jazz are innumerable. He said yesand hes been here ever since. Perkins recalled that his father, at the age of about 40, had such severe arthritis that he could barely walk. Thats our savior, man.. Saxophonist Larry McKenna has been listening to him for 40 years. Ive been in radio for about 55 years and in Philadelphia for 50 years. WRTI, which broadcasts classical music from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. each day, and jazz from 6 p.m.-6 a.m. - What would I do without Bobbi Booker as my gentle alarm clock? The thing I liked about what Bob did was that he didnt call it a jazz show. WRTI's legendary jazz host, Bob Perkins, is surrounded by his cd collection of jazz recordings in his home in Wyncote, PA on December 19, 2019. 12 of 12. 1101 W. Montgomery Avenue Bob received a Master of Science degree degree from Nazareth College. TN: Why do you feel people respond so strongly to music? [3] One of his well-known sayings is "This is BP with the GM!". He currently hosts from 6 pm to 9 pm Monday through Thursday, and from 9 am to 1 pm Sundays. TN: When you had your stroke, did the way people reacted to you being off the air take you by surprise? All rights reserved. Have Your Say - WRTI's Bob Perkins 97 views Aug 17, 2020 4 Dislike Share Save MLTV - Main Line Network 2.72K subscribers Hosts Anne Minicozzi and Diana Robertson welcome radio personality. Perkins' jazz show has been broadcast Monday through Thursday from 6-9 p.m. and from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sundays. A stroke survivor from three years ago, Perkins is still kicking and hes still ticking, playing some of the best jazz music you ever want to hear on WRTI-FM. I went downstairs at the same building, and told the insurance company, Im here to quit a job I never started. Leaving out the door of the insurance company, the man who had offered me a job selling insurance said, Do you know what theyre going to pay you up there? Detroit was wide open. And you had to visualize this man who could make himself invisible. What makes Bob so incredibly important to our music history and the history of Philadelphia is: he was there. I had been selling insurance in North Philadelphia at the time, knocking on doors. WRTI (90.1 FM) is a non-commercial, public radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia, . Everything is so fast nowadays. In 1969, he headed home to Philly, where he began working as a news and editorial director at WDAS-FM, which was then known as the voice of the Black community. He stayed at that station for nearly two decades. You dont know how to write editorials keep it going back at WDAS,. He might be interested in moving back to Philadelphia some way, Bob is able to bridge that,! 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